Katherine Hazard

It is easy to see that when faced with struggles throughout her long and fulfilling life, Katherine Hazard carried herself with a quiet strength accompanied by just the right amount of grace. She simply did what needed to be done when the storms of life blew her way, holding fast to both her faith and her enduring love for others. Kate was intelligent, hard-working, and compassionate - a woman who took each day and made the most of it, even during the sunset of her life. She was a woman who discovered early on that life is not so much about where youre going or where youve been, but more about those you love along the way. The decade of the 1910s was marked by both progress and struggle as it was during this time that advancements such as the assembly line and electric refrigerator hinted toward what was to come, yet struggles such as poverty and unsafe working conditions still beckoned for resolution. It was in 1913 that Lorn and Alma (Franklin) McArthur welcomed the birth of their daughter, Katherine Franklin, on October 5th. Katherine, or Kate as she was often called, was born in Saginaw, Michigan, as the oldest of three children in her family, including younger brothers Lorn and William. Her father worked for the Grand Trunk Railway while her mother was a homemaker. Kate spent her earliest years in Durand until her family moved to Muskegon in 1925. She had striking long, curly hair that her father loved. As a teenager the style became for women to wear their hair shorter. Although Kate convinced her father to let her cut it, he saved the curls as a keepsake. She attended Muskegon Public Schools and graduated from Muskegon High School in 1931. This was actually an exciting year for another reason as well since it was the year that Kate met the man with whom she would share an abiding love. His name was Donald Hazard, and he was four years her senior. Kate began dating Donald and continued her studies at the same time. She attended Ferris State Secretarial School, graduating in 1932. Kate then returned home to Muskegon where she secured employment as a secretary with the Grand Trunk Railway. Throughout this time, her relationship with Donald blossomed, and they were married on June 7, 1941, in Muskegon. The newlyweds settled into the Glenside neighborhood of Muskegon, living first on Westwood Street before moving into a house on Montague where she would remain for nearly the rest of her life. Nothing could have thrilled Kate more than becoming a mother to their wonderful son, Greg, in 1946. Trying times were in store for their family when both Donald and Greg contracted tuberculosis when Greg was just five years old. Their family was separated for the following year as Donald was confined to the tuberculosis sanitarium in Muskegon while Greg spent a year in a facility in Howell, Michigan. During this time, Kate became the main breadwinner in the family, and she also kept everything running smoothly at home until both her husband and son returned. Although this was no easy feat, it was not out of character for Kate since she was a take-charge kind of person and always ruled the home anyway. Some of their fondest family memories were made with their close family friends, Bill and Dorothy Boyden and their family. Their two families spent a lot of time together whether spending summer Sunday mornings together at the beach along North Shore State Park, having picnics in a variety of places, or spending fun-filled days at the Boydens pool. Kate was always one to keep busy and working was part of her life, too. She worked as a secretary at several places including the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce, Wyant and Cannon foundry, and for the principal at Bunker School within the Muskegon Public School system. Kate later remained with the school district, but worked in the administration building until she retired in 1979. Their retirement years provided Kate and Donald with more time to spend together. They began wintering in Florida, at first for just a month or two, but they later purchased a place at the Sun-N-Fun RV Resort in Sarasota where they stayed for six months a year. Kate began volunteering there and ended up working full-time as the secretary to the activities director from 1983 until 2004. She truly loved working and appreciated keeping busy. When their son Greg had a family of his own, Kate loved being a grandmother and was very close to their family. Greg and his family frequently visited Kate and Donald at the resort, even helping with some of the activities while they were there. When their grandchildren had children, even they came to visit, too. When Kate and Donald were in Michigan, they loved being a part of their church, First Congregational Church where they had many friends. They called themselves the Congregator Group and spent time socializing, having dinner parties in their homes, or playing cards. Later in life, Donald began struggling with various health issues. Kate tenderly cared for him during this time and was deeply saddened with his death in 1988. She remained strong in the days that followed, maintained her independence, and continued to take great care of herself including weekly visits to get her hair done. Eventually, the years took their toll on Kate, and she moved into assisted living at Gibson Garfield East where she received excellent care and attention from the staff. After suffering a stroke, Kate lost her voice, but continued to communicate to the best of her ability. Her mind remained as sharp as ever, even reviewing her checking account until the end. With a zest for life that was infectious, Katherine Hazard certainly made her mark on the world around her. She truly lived her life and never backed down from any challenge that came her way while maintaining that special something that was all her own. Kate delighted in caring for her family and always made sure that their lives were laced with just the right amount of sunshine, even when it only came from within her spirit. She was intelligent, even gifted in math, never needing the assistance of a calculator. Although Kates family and friends now say goodbye, they rest in the blessed assurance that her faith was strong, and that she has now reached her eternal resting place. Katherine F. Hazard died on March 13, 2010. Kates family includes her son, Greg (Louise) Hazard of Muskegon; grandchildren, Kurt (Julie) Hazard of Muskegon; Jeffrey (Joyellen) Hazard of Kenya; Scott (Lisa) Hazard of Hudsonville; great grandchildren, Sean, Connor, Megan, Lyndsey, Ian, Abigail, Ellie, Claire. Kate was preceded in death by her husband, Donald in 1988; parents; brothers, and William & Lorn McArthur. A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. with a time of sharing at 3:00 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Homes-Muskegon location, Muskegon, MI, with Rev. Tim Vanderhaar officiating. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial donation to First Congregational Church UCC or Harbor Hospice.